Today, I’m holding in my hand the first copy of my magnum opus. No, not my doctoral dissertation … not one of my 165 columns in the Chevy Chaser … not one of my professional journal articles – but the story of my family, beginning in the 1880s through my 95th year in 2016. The book focuses on my family’s life in Shelbyville and Lexington, covering a span of more than 100 years. I’ve worked on this book for about four years, in fits and starts, and in August it finally went to the printer. And I like it!
The book began as a tell-all set of family stories written for the younger (than I) members of our family, inspired when I learned, at the 100th birthday party of our last aunt, how much these family members had never heard of our family history. Finally, it became my autobiography – my family was interesting, and I have grown to realize that my life was even more so as an extension of theirs.
In addition to the personal tales of the (very large) original Abraham family, this book covers the huge changes that more than 140 years have brought about, as Lexington changed from rural to village to small city. I’m not sure if we are still a small city or just a city – it feels big to me!
The title of the book is “Not Necessarily Kosher – Life, Love and My American Jewish Family.” It can be purchased (insert plug) at the Morris Bookstore and online from Seattlebookcompany.com and Amazon.com. Also, I will have a reading at the Carnegie Center for Literacy and Learning (251 W. Second St.) on Sept. 22, 6-7 p.m.
In case you think I shouldn’t be plugging my own book – well, I probably shouldn’t. It’s immodest and maybe not professional, but just as I began – it is my magnum opus, my only book. I want my readers to know me – not just my opinions about everything!